


The Ending, A Beginning

by Thaliel (Alodia)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Character Death Fix, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Porn With Plot, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 11:41:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21849106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alodia/pseuds/Thaliel
Summary: For once, she was someone’s whole entire world, and he was willing to make her a priority. He wouldn’t abandon her, wouldn’t use her or betray her. He was hers, she was his, and they were one. They were meant to be.It was a warm blanket of security around them, heightening her senses. When his hand drifted under her top, she could feel every beat of his heart through his fingertips setting her nerves aflame.***A fairy tale ending and a new beginning.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 20
Kudos: 141





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This has BIG spoilers, and not just hints at minor things, I mean this involves MAJOR spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker. Please do not read this unless you have already seen the spoilers, or don’t care about them at all.  
> I have not yet seen the movie, I am going to see it on the 22nd, but honestly I have no desire to go and see it until I have written this first. The spoilers completely ruined my hype, and honestly at this point, I am pretty sure I am not gonna like the movie.  
> However, I am hoping that once I get this out of my system, I can find peace with the movie. I hope that, perhaps, you can find some peace in it too. Or, if you’ve already seen it, that this can heal some wounds for you.  
> Because I have not seen it yet, not everything here will be 100% accurate, but that’s ok, I wasn’t aiming for accuracy anyway. I just want to take what I know, and make it better (my idea of better, anyway).  
> This fic will start right as **Horrible Thing** happens, but I promise to make it better soon.  
> Hang in there.  
> I will also, of course, bring justice to FinnPoe as well. 
> 
> There may be mistakes in here, and I own all of those. I couldn't wait for my beta reader to finish reading it before I posted so... There may or may not be fixes in edits later. I am impatient, I know.
> 
> Edited: 4.26, adding new chapters. <3

Kylo had not been expecting this. Hadn’t expected to care so much for Rey, to come here and fight the man who had been manipulating him his whole life, hurting him and using him like he didn’t matter… And he hadn’t been expecting her to die. 

Ever since they had fought on the Death Star, he’d give in, given up fighting against his feelings, against the pull inside of him. Rey had too, it seemed. She hadn’t even blinked when he had shown up, she seemed grateful and happy. 

Palpatine had pushed them both to their limits. Their whole lives, he had been cutting them off at every corner, pulling the strings from the shadows. Rotting away on a lost planet, and still somehow connected enough to the force to construct several empire’s worths of ships. He had struggled while trying to create clones of himself, and as soon as they had gotten one close enough, had sent him out, calling him Snoak, and then concentrated on Kylo and Rey. 

He had been their biggest foe all along, stronger than Snoak, and requiring more of them to fight off. Rey had given everything, and he knew he was going to follow her into the abyss. 

Palpatine had stolen their lives. Their childhoods. 

But he had also ensured they would meet, two halves of a whole. If nothing else, Kylo would always have that satisfaction. For all the hate Palpatine had, he had also helped create one of the rarest and most beautiful things in the galaxy. 

There was no other option for Kylo. There wasn’t a world where he could live and she would die. 

“Rey,” he gasped, looking for any kind of reaction. Any sign of life. 

She did not move. 

Rey was the light, she always had been, and he was the dark. They belonged together, he knew they did, the force had been pushing them together for ages now, tying them to one another. 

They should be together, but if one of them had to go, Kylo knew it had to be him. 

His side screamed with agony, his wounds bleeding as he dragged himself across the ground towards where she lay. This wasn’t how it was meant to be. She deserved better than this, she deserved to die of old age, surrounded by a family she had the chance to build herself. 

Perhaps she and Rose and Finn and Poe could find a place together, to forge a new life somewhere in the burgeoning Republic. They had spent so long together with the rebels, it would only make sense if they stayed together, grew together. 

Maybe Finn and Poe would have a child together, and Rey could be their aunt. 

She would like that, he knew she would. 

“Rey,” he groaned, pulling himself forward, “Hang on.” 

She did not stir. 

Kylo pulled himself faster, using every last bit of strength he still had, “Rey?” 

Her chest was moving, just barely… Or was that a trick of the rain? 

“Rey!”

His heart squeezed, his mind racing with horrible possibilities. She couldn’t _already_ be gone, could she? 

_“Rey!”_

That got a response, although it was weak. Her eyes fluttered open for a second, and then closed. 

Hope trickled in like a beam of light in his mind. _She was alive. It will all be ok._

He clasped a hand around her shoulder and pulled her into him, settling her body across his lap, shielding her from the rain.

“Rey? Come on, _answer_ me.” 

She always seemed to secretly like when he bossed her around, although he didn’t _need_ to say what he was thinking aloud. Rey knew what he wanted, even when he was silent. It felt natural when they were together, like there was no reason for him to be anyone other than who he is. 

Even knowing they would both be facing down the ghosts of their past, facing down the dead and gone, she had treated him like a person. Rey had stood by him, helped him. She smiled with him and at him, and every time she did it he felt a little bit of something new and strange building inside of him. 

This time was no exception, a ghost of a smile came over her lips, and she fluttered her eyes open to look up at him. 

“Bossy,” she accused. 

His eyes welled up, although he blamed it on the rain. “Yeah.” 

“Did… Did we do it?” 

“You did it. He’s dead. Palpatine’s gone.” 

She sighed, “You’re free.” 

His chest clenched painfully. “I’m free. _You’re_ free.”

Her hand reached up to his cheek, and he hunched over to meet it, not wanting her to use more energy than she should. 

“Be free then,” she commanded. “Live _your_ life. For the first time… Find out who Ben is.” 

Kylo… Ben… He knew he wouldn’t be able to do that. 

His side was still clenching painfully, and a numb cold had set in to his limbs. There wasn’t much time left. 

“Rey…” He said, softly. She smiled up at him, waiting. It was a tired smile, but it was there. “Thank you for believing in me. For freeing me.” 

Speaking was still beyond her, her lips opened and closed, but nothing came out. _Shit,_ he realized, _She’s fading._

He could feel it, when he placed a hand over her cheek. The Force was leaking out of her quickly, leaving her behind. Ben fought back against the tears, the pain, everything, and concentrated on what little he had left. 

The Force was leaving him too, not as fast, but slowly and steadily. There was no rescue coming either, no last-minute salvation. 

He was all she had. 

“I love you,” he told her, before leaning down and kissing her. 

Ben let go of everything, letting the Force flow out of him and into her. It was hers to have, hers to use, to grow with and to build with. She would do well with it, he knew.

He was at peace. 

* * *

When Rey woke up, she wasn’t alone. 

Which, she had been expecting. Ben had come to help her, and they would leave together. That was her plan. 

But it wasn’t Ben she found standing over her, it was Leia. The General was glowing and transparent, but she looked exactly as Rey had remembered. 

The woman smiled at her kindly, and next to her was Luke.

Rey wanted to frown at the old Jedi, but instead she examined the figures behind them… She could see through all of them, each of them glowing blue and smiling. 

“Are you…” The words didn’t want to form, it seemed so impossible. “Ghosts?” 

They all looked at one another amused, and one of them appeared to be laughing. 

Then, there was more of them. Shimmering blue figures appeared around her in droves, surrounding her with a veritable army of Jedis past. They lined up row after row behind each other filling the cavernous space with Jedi. 

It wasn’t a Sith auditorium anymore. Instead, it was filled with proof of the legacy of Jedi. 

Trying to stand, she stopped when she saw Ben next to her, laid out on the ground.

He was dead. She could feel it. Half of her heart, her soul, was gone. 

“Ben!” 

Scrambling up, she placed her ear against his chest, listening for his heart. She had to check, had to see for herself. 

It was silent. 

_Then,_ she remembered. 

He had kissed her. 

It was just a brief moment that she remembered, but he had kissed her, and then fallen over. When their lips touched, she had felt better. He had healed her. 

“No,” she said, “No. That…” She glanced up at the silent figures around her, “This can’t happen.” 

Leia smiled. 

“Why are you smiling?” Rey demanded, hot tears clouding her vision. “He’s dead! Ben, _your son,_ he…” A sob broke her words. “He died for me.” 

Leia nodded.

More sobs followed after the first one, and each one reminded her of how very alive she was, and how very dead Ben was. Leaning into his cold body only amplified that feeling, reminding her with each breath she took that he was really gone. He was so cold and still, the opposite of the man who had come to save him. 

They had _just_ gotten started. The Force had lead them out here together, showed them how good they could be together, bonded them… And now there was a wound on her heart, her soul ripped asunder. Rey knew it would never heal, never be filled or mended by anyone or anything. 

She was broken. Forever. 

Time passed slowly, as Rey cried and the rain fell. Leia watched over her, Luke seemed to debate with himself, and then… a man stepped forward. 

His mouth did not move, but Rey heard his voice, loud and clear in her head. 

_Rise, Rey._

She sniffed, but she did not rise. Her head turned, still resting on Ben’s chest, to look at the new man. He looked familiar, in the same way, Kylo and Luke and Leia looked similar. Regal features and a determined look. 

_I am Anakin Skywalker,_ he told her. _Ben’s grandfather._

“Aren’t you…?” She frowned at him. 

She knew who he was, she had seen his helmet in Kylo’s quarters. 

_Yes. I was known as Darth Vader,_ he admitted. _Like Ben, I was lead astray by Palpatine. Like you, most of my life was interrupted by his whims and his plan. He drew me to the Dark Side with promises of power. But the Force had other plans for me… In the end, I realized the error of my ways._

Luke stepped forward, _We’re not perfect people, us Skywalkers._

Leia huffed, _Speak for yourself._

Luke and Anakin smiled. 

_She was always the best of us,_ Luke admitted. _Strong and brave, like you._

 _You did good, Rey._ Leia told her, _You make Ben happy._

Rey sniffed hard, “I _made_ Ben happy.” 

The trio glanced at one another, and then Leia looked behind her. 

Another woman stepped in next to Anakin, and the next to her, another, older pair of men stepped forward. 

_We want to help,_ the gentle seeming woman said. _We want you to be happy._

Anakin smiled at the woman and took her hand, _This is Padmé. Ben’s grandmother._

Rey cocked her head to the side, “How many of you are there?” 

Luke sighed. _There’s enough of us to help. Rise, Rey._

Padmé laughed, _Be patient, Luke._

_I am older than you, mother. You can’t boss me around._

Anakin frowned, _Yes she can._

Luke looked to the heavens, then back down. 

_Rey, please,_ Leia coaxed. _We’ve had a long time to be… here wherever we are. In the Force, living with the universe, learning, and growing. We’ve experienced enough. One day is enough, if I’m honest. It’s thrilling and… well, it’s boring. We can see and observe, but we’re not really living. It’s time we did something more._

It was hard to believe, even though it was right there in front of her. All of these people, remnants of Jedi past, of Skywalkers past, surrounding Rey and wanting to help. Regardless of how strange it was, she stood, leaving Ben on the ground. 

_My poor boy,_ Leia sighed. 

Her hand waved, still adorned with her rings, and Ben began to rise slowly off the ground. 

Blinking hard, Rey watched as he came up to chest level, his hair floating around his face, framing his scars and the angles of his cheekbones. He looked… Perfect. 

_Rey,_ Luke said. _Do your best. Rebuild the Jedi._

She glanced at the older man and met his eyes. His were filled with a fiery determination, and she met it with an equally fierce look. She may not have agreed with him always, may have resented the mistakes he had made… But she was not faultless herself. He had done her best, and the least she could do was her best in return. 

“I will.” 

He smiled, and then stepped forward into Ben, disappearing. 

Then, Anakin stepped forward. 

_This is the least I can do,_ he told her. _I hope you can bring the Force balance once again. Repair the damage Palpatine has done._

Anakin smiled wide at his wife, letting go of her hand, and then stepped forward into Ben, fading away. 

With each person Ben seemed to grow less pale, warmer with more and more Force seeping into him. Her heartbeat wildly as she watched with amazement, holding her breath. 

Padmé stepped forward then, and Rey marveled at how poised she was, at the gentleness she seemed to carry. She was unlike any woman Rey had ever seen. 

_He loves you,_ She said, smiling, _He loves you as Anakin loved me. We never got to live together, but you… You have a chance. Use your time together wisely._ Be happy. _Perhaps one day, we shall all meet again._

Padmé followed behind her husband, fading into Ben. 

Last, Leia stepped forward. 

_I love my son,_ she said. _Please take care of him._

“I promise,” Rey said, “I will.” 

Leia smiled wide, _I knew you would do good._

Sniffing loudly, Rey stepped forward and hugged her, savoring it for the last time. 

_Be good,_ Leia insisted. 

A weak and shaky laugh made its way out of Rey, “We will.” 

Leia released her and gestured a hand wide behind her. 

_There’s many Jedi whom we have lost… But they are not really gone._ No one _is ever really gone._

Two men, the same two men Rey had noticed before, stepped forward. Rey did not know either of them, and shimmering next to them was a person Rey had never seen before. Not a human, but he smiled at her knowingly, a cane clutched in front of him. 

_These Jedi,_ Leia explained, _Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Master Yoda. They will help you rebuild._

Obi-Wan raised a hand at her, Qui-Gon bowed, and Yoda seemed to nod, his head moving back and forth as he assessed her. 

_They are some of the best Jedi who ever lived and…_ Leia waved her hand behind them, at all of the other ghosts standing behind them. Men and women, human and inhuman, some towering 10 feet tall, and others as short as Yoda, they all lined up and watched her, some smiling, some squinting. _All of these people were great Jedis. Learn from them. In time, you and Ben will make something great. I know it. You can rebuild the Jedi… But better. Don’t make the same mistakes._

Then, Leia stepped forward and disappeared into her son. 

Ben glowed blue for a second then drifted back down to the ground. 

The second his back touched the ground, he stopped glowing, the ghosts disappeared, and Ben gasped. 

* * * 

Days later, after Ben had slept enough, and Rey had scavenged enough food for them both to regain some strength, she tried to sort out what happened next. At first, it had been just survival. They had set up shelter in Ben’s ship, hunkering down in the hull and living off of rations and whatever Rey could hunt. 

Rain still beat down on the metal overhead, but she found that it was soothing. The lightning had calmed down the minute Palpatine had died, like the ecosystem was breathing a sigh of relief. 

At night, she and Ben laid next to each other and listened to the sound of the rain, and often Rey would place her ear over his heart, listening to the strong beat of it. 

They had laid close together for three nights before Rey had mustered the fortitude to reach out to the Resistance.

“Where are you again?” Poe had asked her amazement written across his face. 

“On Exegol still. Ben is here too,” she told him.

Finn elbowed his way into view on the hologram, “And you’re both alive? We thought… We thought you’d died! Rose went to find you and all she found were empty ships.” 

Rey laughed. “Yes, we’re both alive. I promise. We must have just missed Rose. It took us a while to climb back out of here. Are you guys ok?”

Finn and Poe smiled together, their arms wrapped around one another and they spoke to her.

“We’re good,” Poe said. 

“More than good,” Finn affirmed. 

Rey smiled at them both as Finn pulled Poe into a kiss. 

“Get a room,” she told them, “And come pick us up. I’ll send you our coordinates.” 

The comm beeped as she turned it off. 

Ben sighed from behind her, leaning in the doorway of the cockpit.

He looked relaxed in his loose sweater and dark linen pants. They were more than a little muddy, but she still found him to be as striking as ever. It was like his lack of clothing had freed him. Luke’s saber was strapped to his hip, as Leia’s was on hers. 

“They seem happy,” he said. 

“They are,” she agreed. “I think we all are.” 

Half of his mouth lifted up into a wry smile. “We are.” 

* * *

Ben made them dinner that night, his large hands carefully mixing and stirring things together, tasting as he went along. It was almost as if this was normal. It felt as if Ben had never died, like _she_ had never died. They just... Were. Rey sat on the deck of the ship and watched, enjoying her reality. 

She didn’t have to run from her feelings anymore, from Ben. If only Rey from past could see her now. 

There he was, a man who she used to be so afraid of, afraid of what he meant, cooking for her as if he had done so for years. It was bliss. A completely unexpected but very welcome bliss. 

When he deemed the dish done, he served out two portions and set it on the counter next to him. Rey nabbed one of them, stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek in thanks, and made her way to the small table. She sat down with her bowl, and dug in. A moment later, Ben sat next to her. 

They ate in a quiet silence, one of his hands settled on her thigh under the table. Rey was very aware of his hand there, the warm weight reminding her that she was not alone. 

It was nice. 

After a moment, he asked her to explain things again. To tell him what he had missed. 

He understood, in theory, but it was hard to believe. She walked him through the story again, and took special care to explain the ghosts and what they had done. It was the most unbelievable part, and she wanted to explain it as well as she could. 

“Your family,” Rey explained, “The Skywalkers, they’re in you. They gave you their Force.” 

Ben frowned, “Right. And they were ghosts?” 

“Yes.” 

“And there was a lot of them?” 

“Yes, hundreds of them, not just Skywalkers. So many Jedi, old and new. But only your family revived. They brought you back, Ben.” 

He smiled a small smile. He _always_ smiled when she said his name. 

“Huh.” 

“The other ones, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon and Yoda and whoever else… they said they would help us.” 

“Help us how? Help us do what?” 

“I don’t know…” She sighed, and sat up straight in her chair, looking directly at him. “I think we should rebuild the Jedi.” 

He sighed, “The Jedi are flawed, Rey. We can’t just rebuild the same Jedi Order and expect for it to be okay.” 

Thinking for a second, Rey decided she agreed. 

“You mom… She had told me the same thing. Before she disappeared. Kind of.” 

His brows raised, “She did?” 

“I think she… She lost a lot to the Jedi Order. Her brother, her father, her son, her whole family. Leia knew they were flawed, she told me not to make the same mistakes.” 

Ben didn’t push her for anything else, just ate his stew quietly as she thought. 

After a moment, she ventured, “We could build our own Order. Like the Jedi but… Better. With more balance, more acceptance. The ghosts can teach us what we don’t know, and we can learn from them, from their mistakes. The New Republic is finding its feet again, it would be safe for us. No more hiding. We could build something new, and as the New Republic grows, so can we.” She glanced at him, smiling. “Together, we can make something better.” 

Ben sat down the stew he had been eating, and carefully plucked the bowl out of her hands and sat it down too. Then, he shuffled closer and wrapped her in his arms, burying his nose in her hair and holding her tight. 

“Together,” he agreed. 

Rey smiled up at him, her eyes wrinkled at the corners, her smile was so big. 

“Together,” he repeated, and then leaned down and kissed her. 

“Together,” she whispered.


	2. Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn has a confession to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does get NSFW at the end, FYI!

Finn and Poe, as Generals of the Resistance, ended up being integral parts of the New Republic. Together, they had ensured that Rey and Ben had all the materials they needed to found their Order. It took some time, as they had to ask for favors in between strategy meetings and introductions to new ambassadors, but they made it happen. 

Rose was assigned as their liaison to the Republic’s new capital on Naboo, and with her help Rey and Ben carved out a space for themselves on Ajan Kloss. It was simple, a clearing with some felled trees, and a small house they had built themselves. 

At first, Rey would make visits once a month to Naboo, to check in with Finn and Poe, to help where she could. But when she went, she was alone, Ben wasn’t willing to leave their home. It was the first place he’d had truly to himself, to shape how he wanted, and he had no intentions of leaving it. 

Even apart, Rey could feel his emotions through their bond, and they met regularly in the force, taking the time to catch up. Ben would show her the progress he’d made that day, 

It hurt to be gone for too long, though, and as soon as Rey was sure Poe and Finn had a handle on things, she stayed with Ben, concentrating on their new… She wouldn’t call it a temple, but it was theirs. 

When she settled in with Ben, for the long term, they quickly came to a routine, and Ben seemed to relax, no longer counting down the days until she would leave him again. 

He never said it aloud, but Rey could feel his fear every time she left. He was afraid she would never come back. 

Ben rose at dawn, and worked until dusk, clearing more land around their home, improving the training circuit. Rey would help him with the work, but sometimes she would find herself just… watching him. 

He was so different now, softer around the edges, with his hair in a wild dark crown around his head, and comfortable clothing, the exact opposite of how he’d been with the First Order. 

“I like you like this,” she’d told him, her head in her hand. 

He straightened, and wiped his brow with the back on his hand, smiling. “Like what?” 

“Like…” she waved her hand around them, “Out here. Free. You seem happier.” 

His smile grew, catching Rey’s heart in her throat. He smiled so often these days. He dropped the small axe he’d been using and took long strides over to her, his hands reaching out to frame her face. 

“I am happier,” he admitted, just before he kissed her. 

It was just her and Ben, for now, but as the days passed and people became less and less wary of Ben, they began to show interest. They may not have had a name for their new order, but it was easy to see that Ben and Rey knew what they were doing. 

Their sabers could often be heard whirring and clashing as they sparred, Rey usually laughing at the end of their battles when Ben would give up and kiss her instead. 

It was happy and peaceful, where the old Jedi Order was solemn and withdrawn, even suspicious. It was freedom and balance and power and healing. It was everything Ben needed. It didn’t matter that he and Rey didn’t have a name for it yet, he knew they were headed in the right direction. 

Finn, on a lark, headed to their clearing one Wednesday, walking slowly as he went. He had yet to talk to Rey, to really talk to her… But today was as good a day as any to start.

Their sabers whirred as Rey and Ben fought, sparring again. Rey was smiling wide, and Ben was smirking. 

“I’m winning,” Ben told her. 

“Like hell you are,” Rey snarked. 

Ben pulled back out of their saber lock, flipped the grip on his blade, and approached her again, putting more power into his attacks. 

“I am.” He told her. 

She huffed, “You’re not!” 

Rey stepped into his attack, blocking hard. 

“Yes I am, you’re working too hard for your attacks, you’re tired already.” 

She sighed, “Well whose fault is that?” 

“Mine.” 

Rey laughed then, and stepped back, sheathing her saber. “Fine, you win this time.” 

Ben mirrored her action, relaxing his shoulders and stretching out his neck. 

It felt a little bit like intruding, but Finn walked out into the open, drawing their attention immediately. Rey greeted him with a wide smile and a wave, and Ben just watched as the pair of them hugged. 

Finn let Rey go and turned to Ben. “Hi, uh, Ben. Nice to meet you. I’m Finn.” 

The former storm trooper extended his hand to the former Supreme Leader. 

“Finn,” Ben said, shaking his hand, carefully saying  _ Finn _ and  _ not  _ FN. 

Finn smiled. “You two looked  _ awesome _ . That’s some serious Jedi business there.” 

Rey smiled, “That means we’re doing well then.” 

“We are,” Ben agreed, nodding. 

“Well, that’s actually, uh… Why I came out here.” 

Rey’s brows shot up, “Oh?” 

He shuffled on his feet, “Do you remember while we were all fighting, and going from planet to planet, I was trying to tell you something? I came here to tell you the, uh, thing, that I’d been trying to tell you.” 

Rey remembered, “Ah. Ok. What is  _ the thing? _ ” 

She tried not to smile, as Finn was being very serious, but it was hard. He was so distraught, but whatever it was Rey knew they could take it in stride. They’d trekked half way across the galaxy together, no amount of news or surprises could throw her off balance. 

“I think, hear me out,” he held his hands out as if Rey had been physically trying to stop him, “that I’m force sensitive.” 

Rey blinked, “Oh?” 

“Yeah.” 

Ben’s hand went to his chin, and he looked up at the sky, “That makes sense…” 

Rhey and Finn both looked at him, “What?” 

“I thought it was only Le... “ he cleared his throat, “I thought it was only my mother I felt here but since she passed there was still  _ someone  _ out there. I didn’t know who.” 

Rey closed her eyes, and let her mind touch the force, letting the bright shimmering power flow through her, and then she reached towards Finn, trying to poke him, to see how he reacted, if he was there. 

Finn felt it immediately, and sneezed. 

Her eyes opened, and Fin was already staring at her, wide eyed, “Was that you?”

Rey smiled at him, “It was.” 

“Cool,” he whispered, smiling back. 

Ben’s hand came down on his back, patting his shoulder, “Come. You’ll begin your training now.” 

He pressed forward, practically dragging Finn with him into the clearing. 

“Hey!” Finn said, “Poe’s waiting for me.” 

Rey laughed, “Oh, it’s alright. I’ll let him know where you are…”

Finn glanced at her desperately over his shoulder, wide eyes beseeching. Rey wouldn’t rescue him from Ben though, it was time Finn got to know Ben, the real Ben, not the mask of Kylo. 

Besides, they were ready to add some students to their order, and who better to start with than Finn? 

* * *

Rey left them together, as Ben watched intently as Finn closed his eyes and tried to  _ feel.  _

It was something she and Ben could do without thinking, to  _ feel  _ the force around them, but Finn seemed to have a hard time tapping into the force intentionally. Before today, it had always been accidents that had led him to using the force. 

He’d get the hang of it though, he was smart enough and determined enough to do it. 

Wandering through the forest to the former Resistance now New Republic base, she found Rose and Poe standing close together, deep in conversation. 

“Poe!” she called, jogging to give him a hug. 

“Rose,” she greeted, hugging the other woman. 

“How goes the ambassador meetings?” She asked Poe, smirking. 

She knew he hated all the bowing and scraping. Poe was a fighter at heart, not a diplomat, but he was  _ trying.  _

Sighing deeply he rolled his eyes, “You know how they’re going. So much politics, my head might combust. Whole systems trying to claim planets and new territory in the fall out of the Order. It’s been a mess.”

Rose patted his shoulder, “You’ll sort through it. You have Finn to help.” 

Poe sighed deeply, “I do. But we need a diplomat, someone who  _ isn’t  _ me.” 

“Poe…” Frowning, Rey stared him down, “You got this. It’ll be okay.” 

He shuffled awkwardly on his feet, “Yeah… It’ll be fine…” He coughed. “Did Finn come back with you?” 

Rose elbowed him, “Missing him already?” 

Rose, bless her, managed to lighten the mood immediately. 

Poe sighed, “Yes. No need to rub it in.” 

“That’s actually why I’m here,” Rey confessed. “I’d like for Poe to stay with us for a while.” 

“ _ Us? _ ” Poe asked, his brows raising. 

“Me and Ben,” she clarified, “Uh, obviously.” She rubbed the back of her head, “Finn’s force sensitive.” 

Poe frowned, “He is?” 

Rose lit up, bouncing on her feet, “Does this mean you have a padawan??” 

“I don’t know about  _ padawan,  _ but I think he does want to train.” 

Stunned into silence, Poe stared at her openly. 

“I wasn’t expecting it either, but I checked, it’s true. He’s force sensitive and I think… I think we  _ need  _ to teach him.” Rey reached out, grabbing his hand, “Ben and I can’t figure it out alone. We need someone we know, someone we trust, to figure this out with. Finn… He’s new. He doesn’t have the same experiences we do.” 

Rey had thought about it  _ a lot  _ as she watched Finn try to meditate, and then some more on her walk here. They needed someone new, someone who didn’t have any experience with Jedi training, so they could evaluate what was important to teach. Finn was an adult, he was her friend, and she knew that with him, they could communicate openly. They could discuss their mistakes both in teaching and in learning, and with him as a sounding board, she and Ben could work on their Order. They could shape it in a way that would benefit not just them, but anyone they taught as well. 

The Jedi as she knew it, as Ben knew it, didn’t fit into this world anymore. They were too elitist, too proud, too angry and dismissive. Compassion was needed, nurturing was needed. 

Poe eyed her, unsure. “This is… a lot.” 

Rey smiled, a little sad, “I know.” 

Rose elbowed him, “Come on, stop looking so sad. Your boyfriend’s gonna be a… Jedi? Force user?” 

They hadn’t settled on a name yet. 

“Something like that.” 

Poe huffed, “I’m not… sad… But I don’t want to just  _ leave  _ him here. How am I supposed to face all these diplomats alone?” 

Thinking quickly she said, “Maybe just every other week? You’re here often enough anyway! He can go out with you for a week, come back and train, and while he’s gone Ben and I can… Spruce the place up more!” 

“ _ Sprucing?  _ Is that what y’all are up to out there?” Rose asked, her eyebrows raised. 

“Rose!” She cried, her cheeks growing pink, “Please.” 

Poe pinched the bridge of his nose, “I…” He sighed. “Alright. We’ll figure something out.” 

Rey hugged him, making sure she squeezed him tight, “It’ll be ok. And if something happens, or you need him, he’s always free to go.” She stepped back from him. “He’s not our prisoner. He’s my friend and I’m just going to teach him some things. That’s all we’ll call it. No commitments. Nothing crazy. Just. Friends.” 

Poe nodded, and Rose smiled wide. 

“Friends who are padawans,” the shorter woman whispered. 

“Rose! Please!” 

Rey laughed, and Poe, finally, smiled. 

* * *

Rose, Poe, and Rey walked back to the clearing, holding branches out of the way for one another, chatting happily about Rose’s findings on the Jedi. She’d dug in hard in every First Order record she could salvage, and matched it up with Old Republic findings and even things from the Empire. 

It was amazing, what she was able to do and find. She found references to some of the people Rey had met in the Force, Anakin and Padme, with Yoda laced in between them all. She’d even found references to Luke’s old master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his master Qui-Gon Jinn. 

Whole troves of secrets came in with them too, back ups of logs from old temples, footage of Anakin killing padawans, of Jedi Masters treating people with cruelty, meddling in politics. 

There was also footage of them helping people, fighting against the Empire. 

It was… complicated. 

But she had Ben, and together they’d figure it out. They had too. And they had Finn and Poe and Rose. It would be fine. 

When they reached the clearing, Finn was in the middle of it, his eyes closed, sitting on the ground. His legs were crossed, and he had one hand settled on each knee, relaxed, open, and facing the sky. The Force was shimmering around him so strongly, Rey had to resist reaching out to touch it, afraid of bursting the bubble open. 

The three of them fell silent, just barely able to hear as Ben said, quietly, “Reach out. Let it touch you.” 

Finn didn’t respond, but the Force around him did, pressing in against him, enveloping him in shimmering light, before he began to float, just barely, off of the ground. 

Ben smiled, his eyes twinkling with pride. 

Finn’s brows came together, “What now?” 

“Keep going,” Ben told him. 

Finn seemed to understand, and rose a little further. 

Rey glanced at her companions, Poe wide eyes and mouth agape, and Rose filled with glee. 

_ This  _ was why she wanted to train Finn. To build something. Jedi… or whatever they were now, they were  _ hope.  _ They gave people something to cling to, something to believe it. 

And sometimes, they created beautiful moments like this. 

The breeze picked up around them, rustling the leaves, their hair. Finn rose another inch off the ground, his brows relaxing as the force pressed closer, and began to seep into him. He was accepting his abilities, intentionally, for the first time. He was learning what the Force truly was, feeling how it was around them. 

“Wow,” Poe whispered, eyeing his boyfriend with a new found awe. 

Finn’s eyes opened, “Poe?”

Then, he glanced down, seeing that he was floating. “Ahh!” Finn tumbled backwards, then scrambled up, “Oh my god!” 

Ben clapped, “Good job.” 

Rey ran forward, “Finn!! That was amazing!” 

Finn smiled, and then glanced at Poe and Rose. “Hey… guys?” 

Rose gushed, “Finn that was  _ wonderful!  _ I didn’t know you could feel the Force!” 

Poe sighed, “Me neither.” 

Sheepish, Finn told him, “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fine,” Poe told him. “I just don’t know how I’m going to face the Gungans without you.” 

“We’ll find a way,” Finn told him. 

Rey walked over to Ben, wrapping her arm around his waist. 

“I was thinking,” she announced to the group. “I told Rose and Poe already, we can train Finn every other week. And on the off weeks, he can be with Poe.” 

Nodding, Poe looked at Finn and said, “You deserve to train. It’ll be ok.” 

Moved, Finn grabbed his hand, “Thank you.” 

Poe nodded, once. 

Rose seemed to gush, unable to contain it anymore, “We have a  _ padawan!  _ Oh gosh! How long has it been since there was a new padawan?” 

“Since Rey because Luke’s,” Ben told her. “It’s been too long.” 

“There will be so much to do,” Rose danced in place. “I can’t wait!” 

Blushing, Finn said, “This is a lot of… Fuss.” 

“Don’t think about it,” Ben told him. “We’ll be happy to teach you what we know.” 

“If you’ll let us,” Rey added quickly. 

“I… Well… I think I can do every other week.” He said, “At least for a month to start?” 

Rey nodded, “Whatever makes you comfortable.” 

“We won’t force you,” Ben said. “Though, I do think it’d be good to share what we know. And you deserve to be trained.” 

“Deserve?” Finn asked, his eyes wide. 

He hadn’t been expecting Ben to say that, to be so supportive. However reformed Ben was, this felt different. Like he was more than just reformed in word, he truly was  _ different.  _

Ben nodded at him, “Deserve.” 

Poe’s hand drifted over Finn’s midriff, comforting him, “You deserve to have all the options, to figure this out. Ben and Rey can help you.” 

To his credit, Poe only choked a little on Ben’s name. 

Rose, still exuberant, said, “I’ll help you too! It’ll be great!” 

Then, she stopped and seemed to think hard, “Maybe we can find more padawans too. People you can train alongside Finn! I wonder how though…” 

The gears turned over in her mind, and Rey left her to it. She wouldn’t protest. If they were teaching one person, they could handle a few more. She thought as much, anyway. 

“We’ll need a place for them to stay…” Rey wondered. 

Ben’s arm tightened around her, “I’ll handle it.” 

Easy as that. 

Rey cleared her throat, “You can go back and think about it. Let’s agree to meet in the morning?” 

The sun would be sinking soon, and Rey figured everyone deserves a night to sleep on any life changing decisions. Usually, there wasn’t enough time to sleep on it, but since they had the option, they might as well take it. 

Finn nodded, “Yeah. Thanks Rey.” 

Poe pressed his forehead into Finn’s cheek, sighing, his eyes closed, then looked at Rey and Ben, “Thanks.” 

Rose smiled wide, “I’ll come too! I wanna see.” 

“Alright,” Ben told her, smiling just a little. 

Rose could melt Hoth with her warm heart. 

“See you tomorrow then,” Finn waved, pulling Poe with him. 

Rose lingered for a second more, smiling knowingly at Rey and Ben, her eyebrows wiggling. 

Rey blushed, “Rose!” 

“Have a good night,” she chirped, casting them one more  _ look _ before leaving. 

Rey waved at them until she couldn’t see them anymore, and then sighed. 

The night around them settled into how it normally was, when they were out here alone. The woods around them sang with critters, bugs chirping and a brook nearby babbling. This was  _ their  _ place, they’d built it up together, and soon they’d have more people here with them too. 

Hope lit up her heart, putting a smile on her face. This was… all she could ask for. 

Leaning over, Ben kissed the top of her hair, sighing happily. Then he tugged, pulling her back towards their cottage, his hand around her waist. 

“It’s not dark yet,” she noted, glancing at the sky, “We could spar again.” 

Ben shook his head, “No.” 

“No?” 

Ben never turned down the chance to duel. 

He glanced at her, his eyes dark and hungry, “No.” 

Oh. 

Rey melted, her spine losing it’s normal steel, and she bit her lip. “Alright.” 

His fingers flexed against her, digging into her waist further 

He pulled open the door Rey had painted red, and then closed it firmly shut, pushing Rey up against it. 

His mouth descended on hers, kissing her fiercely. 

Rey’s eyes drifted shut, and her hands drifted into his hair, pulling him close. 

_ This  _ made sense to her. Every time he could steal her away for alone time, Ben did. When they settled finally in the cottage, it seemed to settle him too. 

Rey suspected Ben liked being able to ravage her at will, to not have to worry about someone interrupting them with one emergency or another. The intensity he gave her, it was like he thirsted for touch, for  _ her  _ touch. Being alone with her soothed him, and being able to touch her, please her, fulfilled him in ways nothing else could. 

Did he stop her from going anywhere? No. But Rey, deep down, didn’t  _ want  _ to leave him. She liked being the subject of such intensity, like she was the center of the universe. For once, she was someone’s whole entire world, and he was willing to make her a priority. He wouldn’t abandon her, wouldn’t use her or betray her. He was hers, she was his, and they were one. They were meant to be. 

It was a warm blanket of security around them, heightening her senses. When his hand drifted under her top, she could feel every beat of his heart through his fingertips setting her nerves aflame. 

She sighed, allowing her mind to drift where he was, allowing herself to feel them together as his tongue swept into her mouth and her hands dug into his shoulders. Rey hopped, wrapping her legs around his middle, and Ben caught her, leaning in so her back was firmly against the wood of the door, and his hands wrapped firmly around her thighs. 

Breath left him in a harsh wave when Rey bit down on his neck, her lips ghosting of the pain before she found a new spot to bite. Pain and sweetness alternated all along his shoulders and collarbone, until she got so frustrated she tore his shirt over his head, giving her more to work with. 

Ben’s head fell back with a groan, his throat bobbing wildly as he let her do as she pleased, allowing her her time. 

He did this often, she’d noticed, letting her have her way for as long as he could stand it. It was his way of giving her back the power the First Order had taken from her, even just for a moment. The Supreme Leader was  _ hers  _ to do what she wanted with. 

Not that what she was doing hurt. The small bites only served to heighten his awareness, in the same way his hands squeezing her breasts and punching her nipples through her clothes did. 

Ben huffed, “Clothes, Rey.” 

She smiled, admiring his wild hair and flushed cheeks before tearing off her top and letting her breast band fall to the wayside. His hands found their way to her nipples, pinching them hard before his head descended to suck on them, pulling at them hard. 

“Ben,” she groaned, pressing her hips forward into his, grinding herself against him. 

Ben pushed back, grinding himself against her, the long length of him running up and down her center. 

It was  _ plenty  _ enough to make Rey want more. 

She pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him fiercely, biting his lip. 

Ben swore, and fumbled at his pants between them. 

Rey thought very seriously about tearing her pants open instead of letting go of him, but instead she unwrapped herself from him and quickly divested herself of the rest of her clothing. 

Ben pushed his pants down to his ankles just as she managed to tear her leggings off of one of her feet. 

“Rey,” he nearly growled. 

She gave up on the other leg, and instead looked up at Ben a second before he was holding her up again, her back pressed against the door as he bit her neck, and his hand found his cock between them, guiding it so the head drifted between her folds. 

Rey’s back arched, and she panted, waiting. 

Ben watched her careful, his eyes on her face as he pushed inward, biting his lip to keep quiet so he could listen. He listened as she sighed, as she moaned his name, and as she whimpered and he thrust into her and she clenched around him. 

He couldn't keep silent anymore then. 

“Rey,” he breathed. “Rey, my Rey.” 

She kissed him fiercely, “Ben.” 

He pulled out of her, and then slid back in, savoring every inch of her sweetness, how she molded perfectly to him. She was so much smaller than he was, but in spite of that, she fit to him so easily. 

Slowly, he moved with her, pressing in and out, his forehead pressed to hers, his chest heaving with the effort of holding her and moving. Rey moved with him, her own breathing harsh, the muscles in her body tensing with the pleasure as it built. 

She’d never know this, before Ben, before he came back. But being together, their bodies in sync as their souls already were, it was  _ right.  _ Right in a way that healed everything, made the world seem brighter, the force stronger. As if their happiness fed the force, and vice versa. They were  _ strong  _ together. 

Rey dropped her mouth to his shoulders again, kissing the tops, then the side of his neck, then the scar on his cheek, and finally his lips. 

Ben’s eyes drifted shut as he kissed her back, his mouth desperately meeting her as he pushed into her harder, faster. 

One of his hands left her thigh and came up to her breast, twisting the nipple, grabbing her as they moved. Sparks flew across her spin, gathering in her core with the pressure that Ben built there. 

“Oh god,” she sighed, moving faster, urging him on with her nails digging into his shoulders. 

Ben obliged, his hands now firmly on her hips, guiding her up and down on his cock, driving them both mad with friction, the Force so thick in the air it tingled on their skin, their cores set ablaze. 

Everything seemed to fade away around them, it was only Ben and Rey, tied together in every way, driven mad by one another and then put back together with every thrust. 

Rey felt her toes curl, her chest tighten and her core begin to clench. 

“Ben,” she gasped. “Ben please, just a little more.” 

One of his hands left her hips, and found their way to her clit, rubbing it as he fucked her. 

That was enough for Rey, her back arching against the door, her head hitting it as she fell apart, her walls spazzing around Ben, her arms tightening around his shoulders until his head was buried in her neck. Ben panted there for a moment, still moving within her, before he bit down and came, his cock twitching deliciously within her. 

Releasing her neck, he groaned, long and hard. 

“Fuck.” 

Rey laughed, “We did.” 

Ben kissed the spot he’d bitten and then sighed, “What are we going to do with Finn here all the time?” 

“Clearly, he’ll need to sleep back at the base.” 

“Hm… That works.” 

He pressed in closer, gathering her to his chest and carrying her to the back of the cottage. Thankfully, the rebels had been kind enough to help them out with basic plumbing, with a vapo toilet, a basic shower and a sink. 

Ben withdrew from her carefully and set her in the shower, holding her shoulders to make sure she was steady on her feet. 

“Good?” 

Rey nodded up at him, “I’m good.” 

Ben smiled, and leaned down to kiss her. “Sorry for ambushing you.” 

Laughing, she smoothed her hand over his cheek, “It’s fine, I clearly didn’t mind.” 

“Thank the Force for you, Rey,” he said, pressing his forehead against hers. 

Rey sighed, “Thank the Force for you, Ben Solo.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find me on twitter @AlodiaThaliel <3

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on twitter @AlodiaThaliel ❤️


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